A long long time ago, in a stadium directly across from Citi Field was a place where fans were born and memories were created. That was before the dark times – BEFORE THE MADOFF…

It is funny when you watch one of your all time favorite movies that you can attribute certain quotes to specific areas of your favorite baseball team. Take for example this little nugget of jubilation:

You see what I told you was true…. from a certain point of view

This quote was uttered by Obi Wan Kenobi when Luke Skywalker confronted him about the true nature of Darth Vader’s identity. We can also attribute this to Sandy Alderson’s assertion that the Mets would spend more that the five million dollars the Mets spent last offseason. With the signing of Chris Young to that $7.25 million dollar contract they did just that. Is it what the fans expected? No, but Alderson was telling the truth – but not the way the fans had hoped.

Then there is this quote by Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back:

Do or do not. There is no try.

This is how the fans feel when the front office says that they intend on improving next years roster. But until the fans see some results, apathy will reign alongside the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Then there is this :

I find your lack of faith disturbing

This best sums up the disconnect between ownership and the fan base.

And……

Were doomed!!!

I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

This best describes my reaction when I – along with many of my fellow Mets fans – reacted when it was revealed the Mets would have a hard cap of $30 million dollars to spend in an offseason where almost every other baseball team has money to burn.

So lets just hope that this upcoming season at Citi Field finds the Mets in the middle of a dog fight of X-Wing proportions instead of it being like the frozen planet Hoth by the middle of August.

The New York Mets traded pitcher, Bill Denehy to the Washington Senators for their manager, Gil Hodges on November 27, 1967. This is still one of the best trades the Mets ever made.

The New York Mets traded outfielder, Tommie Agee to the Houston Astros for outfielder Rich Chiles and pitcher Buddy Harris on November 27, 1972. Agee was already past his prime by the time this trade was made, but Chiles was not a suitable replacement for Agee, and pitcher, Buddy Harris never played a game for the Mets.

The Boston Red Sox signed reliever Skip Lockwood of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 27, 1979. Lockwood was one of the best Mets closers you don’t remember.

The New York Mets signed free agent first baseman, Eddie Murray of the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 27, 1991. He still played at a high level in his 2 seasons as a Met, but his anti-social attitude was one of the reasons why the Mets team he played with was dubbed ” The Worst Team Money Could Buy”.

Mo Vaughn is such a Star Wars fanatic that he once dressed as the Sarlacc Pit for Halloween !!!!

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2013/11/this-day-in-mets-infamy-with-rusty-may-the-farce-be-with-you.html/feed/0Mets Raise Single Game Ticket Prices Across The Boardhttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/12/mets-raise-single-game-ticket-prices-across-the-board.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/12/mets-raise-single-game-ticket-prices-across-the-board.html/#commentsSat, 15 Dec 2012 04:30:00 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=102859The New York Times’ Ken Belson reports that despite finishing below .500 again, the Mets have raised single-game ticket prices for nearly every seating category, regardless of whether it is for the most expensive dates like opening day and the interleague series against the Yankees or for less appealing matchups early and late in the season against less popular teams.

Belson says the strategy is to persuade fans to by tickets in ticket plans and bundles.

Dave Howard, the team’s chief of business operations, told ESPN New York that the higher single-game ticket prices were designed to encourage fans to buy season-ticket plans that include access to a top-valued game as well as discounts on tickets in other categories. While the tactic is a well-worn one, many fans feel they are being unfairly squeezed by a team that has under-performed and has yet to demonstrate it is free of the financial duress caused by the Bernard L. Madoff fraud scandal.

Belson tried to speak to the Mets about this, but they declined to comment on it.

This sounds like a bad idea anyway you cut it, especially when you are not adding any significant major league talent and are most likely shedding the team’s best player in R.A. Dickey.

I wonder what the reaction to this will be like?

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/12/mets-raise-single-game-ticket-prices-across-the-board.html/feed/0Mets Don’t Need To Extend David Wright Just Yethttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/05/mets-dont-need-to-extend-david-wright-just-yet.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/05/mets-dont-need-to-extend-david-wright-just-yet.html/#commentsMon, 28 May 2012 06:00:02 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=82875David Wright has been the star of the Mets this year. He is an early contender for the MVP award. He’s hitting right around .400, and he’s dominated at the plate. His fielding has looked a lot better this year too. Those are good reasons to offer him an extension now, but I think the Mets should wait. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Mets will extend him, but remember he also has a team option for next year. So, they really have until the end of next season to extend him. There’s plenty of time left, no need to rush it now.

There are quite a few reasons that people think that they should resign him now. One reason is because of the Jose Reyes situation that took place this past offseason. However there’s quite a few differences between the situations. One big difference is that now the Mets aren’t dealing with the Madoff situation, so they can actually afford to extend Wright. Also, Wright gives 100% all the time, and Reyes didn’t. Disagree? Wright has never been benched due to lack of effort while Reyes has. I also think Wright actually wants to be a lifetime Met, while I was never really all that sure that Reyes did. Wright is also willing to negotiate during the season, which is something that Reyes refused to do. Wright is a leader on this team, and the face of this franchise. I can’t think of a time where I ever considered Reyes either. So I highly doubt it’ll get anywhere’s close to the Reyes situation, as they are two totally different players and thus two totally different situations.

Another argument for extending him now is so they can officially name him captain and put the “C” on his chest. However, the only things that really does is put a “C” on his chest and give the executives a chance to officially name him captain. It doesn’t really change anything though. He has been the captain for a while now, and both the players and fans know this. He does need to have the “C” stitched to his chest to be a leader and captain. So rushing the extension process just to put a silly “C” on his chest makes no sense to me as it changes nothing.

Again, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that he’ll be extended, but I realize we have a year and a half still to extend him before he’s a free agent, why do we need to rush and extend him now? Let’s let him focus on playing right now, and wait until later in the year, or even the beginning of next year to do it.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/05/mets-dont-need-to-extend-david-wright-just-yet.html/feed/0From Left Field: Getting Your Head Back In The Gamehttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/02/getting-your-head-back-in-the-game.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/02/getting-your-head-back-in-the-game.html/#commentsWed, 02 Feb 2011 05:00:14 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=43767Boy, I can’t wait for this season to get started.

This offseason has been filled with a negative feel, whether it be the fact that the Mets have no money to spend, the signing of “mediocre” free agents, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo’s presence on the team, and now the hoopla surrounding the Wilpons’ money scheme.

I have tried to overlook the negative and focus on the positive. Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins seem to have a plan moving forward. The team agreed to contracts with Pagan, Pelfrey and Dickey. I like the moves that roll the dice a little such as the signings of Chris Young and Chris Capuano.
There’s just two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie.

I don’t mind enduring the reports of the Wilpon scandal for two more weeks. But once the first player arrives at the Tradition Field complex, I hope the focus turns to the upcoming season rather than off the field problems.

Unfortunately, the last few seasons have been a mish-mosh of poor play on the field coupled with ugly off the field incidents.

From the collapse of 2007 to the Beltran surgery fiasco to K-Rod’s actions to Charlie Samuels’ betting and now back to the Madoff scandal, it has overshadowed what the Mets are trying to do. The team is trying to put a championship caliber ball club on the field for the loyal fans that support the team.

Naturally, this is much easier said than done and has taken longer than most fans would have hoped for. But a fast start to this season could quell much of the negative attention surrounding the team.
And that starts when pitchers and catchers report.

The leadership is there, the talent is there, but now the results must be there.

Everyone seems to be looking ahead to next year when the team will have $60 million coming off the books. The expectations are that Alderson will bring in a few big time free agents to change the atmosphere.

But until this team is out of contention (and that sure as heck isn’t in spring training), we loyal fans should rally behind our team, regardless of their off field issues.

It’s amazing how quickly fans forget about problematic issues when their team performs well, and hopefully that winds up being the case for the 2011 Mets.